Versatility characterizes the growing oeuvre of bassist and composer Christian McBride. Since the 1990s, this American has released albums with diverse styles such as fusion, big band and neo-bop. This big band album follows the ambitious and political third stream album The Movement Revisited: A Musical Portrait Of Four Icons (2020). It seems as if McBride wanted to swing with his big band just as
… unrestrainedly afterwards. For Jimmy, Wes And Oliver is an ode to the swing and soul jazz giants organist Jimmy Smith, guitarist Wes Montgomery and saxophonist Oliver Nelson. Smoothly McBride leads the big band through repertoire of, among others, the above mentioned artists, with of course important roles for organ, guitar and saxophone. That sounds nice and solid, but within McBride's oeuvre also as no more than a pleasant mainstream snack. (MR)more
